Valve



May 10, 1932- E. c. HERTHEL Ef AL VALVE Filed Feb. 26, 1929 INVENTOR em? 6. f/erffiel Patented May 10, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EUGENE O. HERTHEL, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AND WILLIS S. GULLETTE, OF HIGHLAN D, INDIANA, ASSIGNORS TO SINCLAIR REFINING COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A

CORPORATION OF MAINE VALVE Application filed February 26, 1929. Serial No. 342,904.

. This invention relates to an improved twoway valve of special value in the handling oi hot vapor mixtures from vapor phasecracking operations. These vapor mixtures are 5' peculiarly diflicult to handle prior to the separation of the tarry constituents which they normally contain as discharged from the vapor phase cracking operation proper. Characteristically, these tarry constituents of such vapor mixtures tend to form deposits choking or plugging any. stagnant spaces in lines or valves. This tendency seems to be most pronounced over a temperature range approximating 700 to 1200 F. The usual T connection to two gate valves to connect one line to either of two other lines, for example, even where the legs of the T are very short and are connected directly to the gate valves, is not satisfactory for this purpose because, with the vapor mixture passing through either of the alternative passages, a deposit tends to form in the stagnant leg of the T rendering the'operation of the valve system uncertain and irregular. This invention provides an improved two-way valve which makes possible the elimination of stagnant ipots from systems of lines and valves haning such vapor mixtures. The improved valve of the invention is of special value in the handling of hot vapor mixtures from vapor phase cracking operations, as just noted, ut it is of more general application where similar difficulties are encountered.

In the improved two-way valve of this invention, a plug-type closure member is used to direct the main course of the fluid or fluid mixture through either of two alternative passages in the valve, a by-pass connection is provided connecting the alternative passages 40 in the valve and plug-type closure members are used to open and close the by-pass connection, but, instead of providing a single closure member in the by-pass connection, a pair of closure members are provided in the by-pass connection arranged at each end of the bypass connection adjacent its junctures with the alternative passages, and these by-pass closure members are preferably arranged so that a wall of the closure member when positioned to prevent flow between the passage and the by-pass connection or a port of the closure member when positioned to permit such flow is in substantial alignment with the wall of the main passage through the valve at the junctures of the by-pass connection and the alternative passages; Although the preferred arrangement of the by-pass closure members is as indicated above, the by-pass.

closure members may project slightly into the main passage through the valve without departing from the scope or spirit of the pres-.

ent invention. Thus, when positioned to direct the flow of the fluid or fluid mixture through either of the alternative passages, the main closure member closes the other alternative passage without leaving any stagnant space and the by-pass closure members are arranged so that when closed there is no stagnant space in the by-pass connection communicating'with the main passage through the valve, the by-pass closure member itself defining the boundary of the main passage through the valve at the juncture between the by-pass connection and the main passage through the valve. v

The invention will be further described in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, diagrammatically and conventionally, in Fig. 1, one form of valve embodying the invention, partly in section and with parts broken away, and, in Fig. 2, a sys tem illustrating one application of the improved two-way valve of the invention.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the valve illustrated comprises a body 11 having three passages, 1, 2 and 3, and a plug-type closure member 4 arranged therein having two communicating ports,5 and 6, adapted to reg- 4 ister with passage 1 and either of passages 2 and 3. The closure member 4 is shown positioned to permit flow between passages 1 and 3. The term port as used throughout the specification and in the claims is intended to mean and is herewith defined as an area of opening.

A by-pass connection 8 is arranged to connect the passages 2 and 3, and a pair of plugtype closure members, 9 and 10, are arranged in this by-pass connection 8 adjacent the j unctures between the by-pass connection and the passages 2 and 3. The closure member 9 is shown positioned to prevent flow between passage 2 and the by-pass connection and the closure member 10 is shown positioned to permit flow between passage 3 and the bypass connection. The by-pass closure members 9 and 10 are arranged with respect to the junctures between the by-pass connection 8 and the passages 2 and 3 so that,.whether these closure members are positioned to prevent or to permit flow between the passages in the valve body and the by-pass connection, there is no stagnant space between the closure members and the passages in the valve body. In

either position, either a wall of these by-pass closure members or a port in these by-pass closure members may be within the passage proper in the valve body.

To assist in keeping the by-pass connection 8 clear through the change-over operation, when the closure member 4 is being reversed to direct the flow through the valve proper through the other of the passages 2 or 3, a valved connection 12 is provided communicating with the by-pass connection 8 between the closure members 9 and 10. A plug-type valve 18, as illustrated, is advantageously provided in this connection adjacent the bypass connection 8. Bleed line 13 with valve 15 is provided to permit blowing out of the by-pass connection through connection 12- 'and steam line 14 with valve 17 is provided to permit flushing'of the by-pass connection through either or both of the passages 2' and 3.

In operating the valve, assume the closure member 4 positioned to connect passages 1 3 and the closure members 9 and 10 both closed, to reverse the closure member '3 to connect passages 1 and 2 instead of passages 1 and 3 communication is first established through the by-pass connection 8, the closure member; 4 is then reversed and the closure members 9 and 10 are both again closed. The by-pass closure members may be operated in several ways. For example, with the valves 18 and 15 open, the closure member 10 may be opened first, the closure member ,9 opened second and the valve 18 closed third. As. a further example, with the valves 18 and 17 open, steam being supplied through connection 14 under a pressure higher than that prevailing in the passages 2 and 3, the

serious danger of rupture. The improve crating temperature vantage before closure member 10. After the change-over, closure member 9 may be closed, for example, either with the valve 18 closed or with the valves 18 and 17 opened. To reverse the closure member 4 to connect passages l and 3 instead of passages 1 and 2, the operation is the same but in reverse order.

Referring to Fig. 2 of the drawings, an application of the valve in apparatus adapted for carrying out, for example, the process described in application Serial No. 341,214, filed February 19, 1929, by Harry L. Pelzer, is shown further to illustrate the invention. The connections 16 and 7 and the receptacles A, B, C and D may correspond, for example, to the connections and receptacles so designated in application Serial No. 341,214 just mentioned. The valves are shown positioned to permit flow from connection 16 through receptacles B and (J in succession to connection 7. To establish flow from connection I6 through receptacles C and D in succession to connection 7, for example, valves 20 and 21 are first reversed and valves 22 and 23 are then reversed,

The improved two-way valve of the invention embodies "a by-pass which is free from the disadvantages of the usual type of bypass. A plug-type two-way valve has a number of advantages in the field of application in which the im roved two-way valve of this invention is 0 special utility but a by-pass is, for practical purposes, essential with such valves, particularly in the handling of fluids at high temperature, upwards of 700 F. for example. This necessity for a by-pass arises largely from the fact that a .plug-type two-way valve, properly operated,

is positioned either wide 0 en one way or wide open the other way. 5 change over made rapidly, in the handling of fluids at high temperature, subjects the connected .system to excessive stresses involvin valve of this invention makes it possible to bring the alternative connections up to op- 'radually at the same time providing for absolute shut-01f of the by-pass connection without danger of choking or plugging the by-pass connection or va ve passages proper because of the formation of stagnant spaces by the change-over.

We claim:

- 1. A valve comprising a body having three passages and a plug-type closure member arranged therein having two communicating ports adapted to register with one of said three passages and'either of the other two of said three passages, a by-pass connection connecting the last mentioned .two of said three passages and a pair of plug-type closure members arranged in said by-pass conuch a complete nection adjacent its junctures with the last mentioned two of said three passages, each of said by-pass closure members being arranged so that a wall of either of said bypass closure members or a port thereof, when positioned to prevent flow between the last mentioned two of said three passages or when positioned to permit such flow respectively, is in substantial alignment with the wall of one of the last mentioned two of said three passages. v p

2. A valve comprising a body havin three passages and a plug-type closure mem er 8.1. ranged therein having two communicating ports adapted to register with one of said three passages and either of the other two of said three passages, a by-pass connection connecting the last mentioned two of said three passages, a pair of plug-type closure members arranged in said by-pass connection adjacent .its junctures with the last mentioned two of said three passages, and a valved connection communicating with said by-pass connectionbetween said -by-pass closure members, each of said by-pass closure members being arranged so that a wall of either of said by-pass closure members or a port thereof, when posimembers bein either of said positioned to prevent flow between the lastmentioned two of said three passages forms a part of the wall of one of the last-mentioned two of said three passages.

arranged so that a wall of y-pass closure members when In testimony whereof we aflix our signa- I tures.

EUGENE o. HERTHEL. WILLIS s. GULLETTE.

tioned to prevent flow between thelast mentioned two of said three passages or when positioned to permit such flow respectively, is in substantial alignment with 1 the wall of one of the last mentioned two of said three passages.

3. A valve comprising a body havin three I that a wall ofeitherof said by-pa's's closure members when positioned to prevent flow between the last-mentioned two of said three passages forms a part of the wall of'one of the last-mentioned twoof said three passages.

4. A valve comprising a body havin passages and a plug-type closure mem er arranged therein having two communicating ports adapted to register with one of said three passages and either of the other two of said three passages, a by-pass connection connecting the last-mentioned two of said three passages and a pair of plug-type closure members arranged in saidby-pass connection adjacent its junctures with the last mentioned two of said three passages, a valved connection communicating with said by-pass connection between said by-pass 5 closure members, each of said by-pass -closure three air 

